LG, top officials from UT, Army, CAPF heads to attend
Shri Amarnath Yatra security arrangements to be finalized
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 14: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today reviewed security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, in the Union capital and has called another high-level meeting with top brass of the UT including Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, NSA Ajit Doval, Army, paramilitary officials and others on Sunday to discuss arrangements for Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage and prevailing security scenario in the wake of four recent terror attacks in Jammu region.
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Shah today reviewed security situation of Jammu and Kashmir with top officials of the Ministry and others and took detailed feedback from them after the terrorists targeted a bus of Shiv Khori pilgrims killing nine and injuring 43 others in Reasi district on June 9 followed by three more attacks-one in Hiranagar in Kathua district and two in Doda in which two dreaded Pakistani terrorists were killed and a CRPF jawan was martyred while seven security personnel were injured.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain and other senior officials of police and civil administration will represent Jammu and Kashmir in the meeting scheduled for June 16 in New Delhi. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Army chief Gen Manoj Pande, heads of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Intelligence agencies will also attend.
“Security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in general and security arrangements for 52-day long annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji starting June 29 and lasting till August 19 in particular, will figure at the high-level meeting to be chaired by Shah on June 16 in New Delhi,” the sources said.
Sunday’s meeting will be the first high-level to be chaired by Amit Shah on Jammu and Kashmir during his second stint as the Union Home Minister.
“Entire gamut of security situation with major focus on Shri Amarnath Ji yatra will be reviewed and steps to ensure peaceful 52-day long pilgrimage will be discussed,” they said, adding security for the yatra this year is expected to be heightened especially in the wake of June 9 terror attack on the Shiv Khori pilgrims at Teryath in Reasi district in which a total of nine persons including seven yatris were killed and 43 others, all pilgrims were injured.
Some of the paramilitary companies deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for the Parliamentary polls have been retained while more will start reaching shortly for Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage in South Kashmir Himalayas. As per the sources, over 400 additional companies of paramilitary forces and likely to be deployed for yatra.
“A strategy is likely to be formulated to eliminate the terrorists hiding in Rajouri-Poonch areas of Pir Panjal range who are instrumental for terror attack on Shiv Khori pilgrims besides many other strikes in the twin border districts beginning January 1, 2023,” the sources said, adding it is being widely believed that till this group of terrorists is eliminated they will continue to strike just like they have done at Dhangri, Mendhar, Keri, Shahdara Sharief, Reasi etc.
However, the possibility of the terrorist group being more than one is also not ruled out.
“Plugging infiltration from the International Border between Jammu to Kathua is also likely to figure prominently in the meeting,” the sources said.
There have been reports that two groups of terrorists which were intercepted by the Village Defence Guards (VDGs) at Basantgarh in Udhampur district had also infiltrated from the IB in Kathua. Two terrorists who were killed at Hiranagar on June 11 too had intruded from the border.
Whether the terrorists are using a tunnel, cutting fencing or any other method of infiltration will be discussed and steps taken to plug the infiltration. The terrorists killed at Hiranagar were not very far from Jammu-Pathankot National Highway.
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